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Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Aussie flight rules
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in US layman's terms, altimeter setting.     QNH=3DQuestion Nil Height


-----Original Message-----
From: Colyn Case <colyncase@earthlink.net>
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Sent: Tue, Dec 21, 2010 1:24 pm
Subject: [LML] Re: Aussie flight rules


what is a QNH?


On Dec 19, 2010, at 7:09 PM, Frederick Moreno wrote:


Not sure if this has been posted before.=C2=A0=C2=A0They do things a bit=
=20
differently in Outback Australia.=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Fred
=C2=A0


Mate,
I am writing to you because I need your help to get me bloody pilot's=20
licence back. You keep telling me you got all the right contacts. Well=20
now's your chance to make something happen for me because, mate, I'm=20
bloody desperate But first, I'd better tell you what happened during my=20
last flight review with the CASA Examiner.

On the phone, Ron (that's the CASA man), seemed a reasonable sort of a=20
bloke. He politely reminded me of the need to do a flight review every=20
two years. He even offered to drive out, have a look over my property=20
and let me operate from my own strip. Naturally I agreed to that.

Anyway, Ron turned up last Wednesday. First up, he said he was a bit=20
surprised to see the plane on a small strip outside my homestead,=20
because the "ALA" (Authorized Landing Area), is about a mile away. I
explained that because this strip was so close to the homestead, it was=20
more convenient than the "ALA," and despite the power lines crossing=20
about midway down the strip, it's really not a problem to land and=20
take-off, because at the halfway point down the strip you're usually=20
still on the ground.

For some reason Ron, seemed nervous. So, although I had done the=20
pre-flight inspection only four days earlier, I decided to do it all=20
over again. Because he was watching me carefully, I walked around the=20
plane three times instead of my usual two..

My effort was rewarded because the colour finally returned to Ron's=20
cheeks. In fact, they went a bright red. In view of Ron's obviously=20
better mood, I told him I was going to combine the test flight with=20
some farm work, as I had to deliver three "poddy calves" from the home=20
paddock to the main herd. After a bit of a chase I finally caught the=20
calves and threw them into the back of the ol' Cessna 172. We climbed=20
aboard but Ron, started getting onto me about weight and balance=20
calculations and all that....... Of course I knew that sort of thing=20
was a waste of time because calves like to move around a bit,=20
particularly when they see themselves 500-odd feet off the ground! So,=20
it's pointless trying to secure them, as you know. However, I did tell=20
Ron that he shouldn't worry as I always keep the trim wheel set on=20
neutral to ensure we remain pretty stable at all stages throughout the=20
flight.

Anyway, I started the engine and cleverly minimized the warm-up time by=20
tramping hard on the brakes and gunning her to 2,500 RPM. I then=20
discovered that Ron has very acute hearing, even though he was wearing=20
a bloody headset. Through all that noise he detected a metallic rattle=20
and demanded I account for it. Actually it began about a month ago and=20
was caused by a screwdriver that fell down a hole in the floor and=20
lodged in the fuel selector mechanism. The selector can't be moved now,=20
but it doesn't matter because it's jammed on "All tanks," so I suppose=20
that's all right.

However, as Ron was obviously a nit-picker, I blamed the noise on=20
vibration from a stainless steel thermos flask which I keep between the=20
windshield and the magnetic compass. My explanation seemed to relax=20
Ron, because he slumped back in the seat and kept looking up at the=20
cockpit roof I released the brakes to taxi out, but unfortunately the=20
plane gave a leap and spun to the right. "Hell" I thought, "not the=20
starboard wheel chock again."

The bump jolted Ron back to full alertness. He looked around just in=20
time to see a stone thrown up by the prop-wash disappear completely=20
through the windscreen of his brand new Holden Commodore. "Now I'm=20
really in trouble," I thought...

While Ron was busy ranting about his car, I ignored his requirement=20
that we taxi to the "ALA," and instead took off under the power lines.=20
Ron didn't say a word, at least not until the engine started coughing=20
right at the lift-off point, and then he bloody screamed his head off.=20
"Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!"

"Now take it easy Ron," I told him firmly. "That often happens on=20
take-off and there is a good reason for it." I explained patiently that=20
I usually run the plane on standard MOGAS, but one day I accidentally=20
put in a gallon or two of kerosene. To compensate for the low octane of=20
the kerosene, I siphoned in a few gallons of super MOGAS and shook the=20
wings up and down a few times to mix it up. Since then, the engine has=20
been coughing a bit but, in general, it works just fine, if you know=20
how to coax it properly.

Anyway, at this stage Ron seemed to lose all interest in my test=20
flight. He pulled out some rosary beads, closed his eyes and became=20
lost in prayer (I didn't think anyone was a Catholic these days). I=20
selected some nice music on the HF radio to help him relax. Meanwhile,=20
I climbed to my normal cruising altitude of 10,500-feet. I don't=20
normally put in a flight plan or get the weather because, as you know=20
getting FAX access out here is a joke and the weather is always "8/8=20
blue" anyway. But since I had that near miss with a Saab 340, I might=20
have to change me thinking on that.

Anyhow, on levelling out, I noticed some wild camels heading into my=20
improved pasture. I hate bloody camels, and always carry a loaded 303,=20
clipped inside the door of the Cessna just in case I see any of the=20
bastards.

We were too high to hit them, but as a matter of principle, I decided=20
to have a go through the open window. Mate, when I pulled the bloody=20
rifle out, the effect on Ron, was electric. As I fired the first shot=20
his neck lengthened by about six inches and his eyes bulged like a=20
rabbit with myxo. He really looked as if he had
been jabbed with an electric cattle prod on full power. In fact, Ron's=20
reaction was so distracting that I lost concentration for a second and=20
the next shot went straight through the port tyre. Ron was a bit upset=20
about the shooting (probably one of those animal lovers I guess) so I=20
decided not to tell him about our little
problem with the tyre.

Shortly afterwards I located the main herd and decided to do my fighter=20
pilot trick. Ron had gone back to praying when, in one smooth sequence,=20
I pulled on full flaps, cut the power and started a sideslip from=20
10,500-feet down to 500-feet at 130 knots indicated (the last time I=20
looked anyway) and the little needle rushed up to the red area on me=20
ASI. What a buzz, mate! About half way through the descent I looked=20
back in the cabin to see the calves gracefully suspended in mid air and=20
mooing like crazy. I was going to comment to Ron on this unusual sight,=20
but he looked a bit green and had rolled himself into the foetal=20
position and was screamin' his freakin' head off. Mate, talk about=20
being in a bloody zoo. You should've been there, it was so bloody funny!

At about 500 feet I levelled out, but for some reason we kept sinking.=20
When we reached 50-feet, I applied full power but nothin' happened. No=20
noise, no nothin'. Then, luckily, I heard me instructor's voice in me=20
head saying "carb heat, carb heat." So I pulled carb heat on and that=20
helped quite a lot, with the engine
finally regaining full power. Whew, that was really close, let me tell=20
you!

Then mate, you'll never guess what happened next! As luck would have=20
it, at that height we flew into a massive dust cloud caused by the=20
cattle and suddenly went I.F. bloody R, mate. BJ, you would have been=20
really proud of me as I didn't panic once, not once, but I did make a=20
mental note to consider an instrument rating as soon as me gyro is=20
repaired (something I've been meaning to do for a while (now). Suddenly=20
Ron's elongated neck and bulging eyes reappeared. His Mouth opened=20
wide, very wide, but no sound emerged. "Take it easy," I told him,=20
"we'll be out of this in a minute." Sure enough, about a minute later=20
we emerged, still straight and level and still at 50-feet.

Admittedly I was surprised to notice that we were upside down, and I=20
kept thinking to myself, "I hope Ron didn't notice that I had forgotten=20
to set the QNH when we were taxiing." This minor tribulation forced me=20
to fly to a nearby valley in which I had to do a half roll to get=20
upright again.

By now the main herd had divided into two groups leaving a narrow strip=20
between them. "Ah!" I thought, "there's an omen. We'll land right=20
there." Knowing that the tyre problem demanded a slow approach, I flew=20
a couple of steep turns with full flap. Soon the stall warning horn was=20
blaring so loud in me ear that I cut its
circuit breaker to shut it up, but by then I knew we were slow enough=20
anyway. I turned steeply onto a 75-foot final and put her down with a=20
real thud. Strangely enough, I had always thought you could only ground=20
loop in a tail dragger but, as usual, I was proved wrong again!

Halfway through our third loop, Ron at last recovered his sense of=20
humour. Talk about laugh. I've never seen the likes of it. He couldn't=20
stop. We finally rolled to a halt and I released the calves who bolted=20
out of the aircraft like there was no tomorrow.

I then began picking clumps of dry grass. Between gut-wrenching fits of=20
laughter, Ron asked what I was doing. I explained that we had to stuff=20
the port tyre with grass so we could fly back to the homestead. It was=20
then that Ron, really lost the plot and started running away from the=20
aircraft. Can you believe it? The last time I saw him he was off into=20
the distance, arms flailing in the air and still shrieking with=20
laughter. I later heard that he had been confined to a psychiatric=20
institution - poor bugger!

Anyhow mate, that's enough about Ron. The problem is I got this letter=20
 from CASA 'withdrawing', as they put it, my privileges to fly; until I=20
have undergone a complete pilot training course again and undertaken=20
another flight proficiency test.

Now I admit that I made a mistake in taxiing over the wheel chock and=20
not setting the QNH using strip elevation, but I can't see what else I=20
did that was a so bloody bad that they have to withdraw me
flamin' license. Can you?


=C2=A0

=C2=A0


=3D
 =20